For three years, Democrats courted Bethlehem, Pa., Mayor John Callahan in the hopes of persuading him to run for Congress against Republican Rep. Charlie Dent. And now that he’s committed to the race, the national party believes that he has perhaps the best chance of any Democratic challenger of knocking off a GOP incumbent next year.

Democrats say Callahan — a prominent local pol who touts a centrist record and a proven ability to raise money — presents Dent with his toughest opposition to date in Pennsylvania’s Allentown-based 15th District. In the nine weeks after he announced his campaign, Callahan raised an impressive $346,000.

“Most of electoral politics is about recruiting,” said state Rep. Jennifer Mann, a Democrat who represents Allentown in the Legislature. “I don’t want to minimize Charlie as a campaigner, but I don’t think he has faced a challenger as bright and accomplished as John.”

“We haven’t had someone as good as John at the congressional level,” added Mann. “We have a candidate we can rally around and support.”

Read the full Politico article here

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